Chef Forum banner

Hungarian Szalonna

12K views 7 replies 7 participants last post by  Laszlo behan 
#1 ·
Ok, I'm new to this forum but I am searching for the following method and ingredients and process to make Szalonna.

I have used the last of the Szalonna of my mother's which was frozen for about 4 years.

Because of lean pigs today, finding it is almost impossible. If I learn the process to make it myself the next task is learning the reciepie of the smoking process.

I am seeking How to make Hungarian Szalonna. Hungarian Szalonna is NOT speck, also it is meatless, smoked, but with NO paprika.

Does anyone know of what I am talking about?

Thanks
 
#3 ·
I know what speck is (it's a smoked, fatty bacon-like product). When I typed "Szalonna" into Google everything I found was a meat product: sausage, cured meat, etc.

Please don't be discouraged at the lack of answers just yet! It's a major holiday weekend in the U.S. and so things may be slow here at Chef Talk for a bit. We hope you enjoy the site!

Regards,
Mezzaluna
 
#4 ·
I appreciate the answers thus far - Speck is usually a Saxon (Transalvanian Saxon), German, etc type of smoked fat with a lot of paparika - usually no meat but can have some.

The other problem other than learning both a receipie and the process for smoking - is finding a FATTY pig.

Of all the butchers I have contacted, farmers are producing leaner and leaner pigs and the fat layer is only about 20mm or less thick - instead of the 30 to 50 mm range. It is also getting to the point where there are fewer butchers that slaughter - most just cut already trimmed meat.

I am hoping someone out there has the solutions.

thanks:lips:
 
#5 ·
Szalonna and Speck are the same thing, except slight variation of how it is cured. It is cut from the pork's or pig's back and stamick. It has meat layers in it. We used to hang up slaps about 20 feet high in the smoking room,  Use cold smoke which just smoke, no flame.  I don't remember how long we smoked them, but everything was hanging up there, ham, headcheese, Bloodwurst, sausages, kolbasz, etc.  We butchered in winter, and everything stayed up there all summer until next time we butchered.  Bende in Chicago uses liquid smoke to smoke everything and it is done in a few days. Maybe less, I forgot.  I am sure a smoker one can buy for under $ 100 I think can be used.  I would experiment with the smoke, do it slow and no flame. When it is done it should be stiff We used to eat szalonna with bread. You can season it with anything you like until you don't like it, ha ha ha.  Actually the szalonna is getting dried out. The skin should get real hard like leather .

   We used the entire legs and thighs for ham.  Can you imagine how long it takes for a ham to cure ?

I was born and raised in Hungary 
 
#6 ·
@JvK

Where do you live?

I know there are certain pig breeds in the UK that are getting popular and they are a lot fatties than the "common" breeds.

For me (I am Dutch): Spek is cold smoked belly pork. That's just because that's what it means in Dutch /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif

Your definition sounds very much like Lardo.

Sorry I can't help you any further. I will see if any of my curing books mentions anything.

Last thing: when you get into smoking, especially cold smoking, make sure you read up on the ins and outs as it is not without risk!
 
#8 ·
Yes, the speck and the szalonna is the same. The hungarian traditional szalonna is smoked and made with salt. ( You have to salt your szalonna, if you would like to conserve it!)
We make several type of szalonna such as smoked( füstölt szalonna), only salted (sós szalonna), boiled and salted( abált szalonna) or smoked fat with meat( kolozsvári szalonna).
Szalonna is smoked by cold oakor beech smoke.
Home made szalonna is a relally speciality, all families make it on countryside.
You could see several types of it here with nice picurres: https://www.kolbaszaruhaz.hu/89-szalonna-kolozsvari-szalonna
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top